21 Lab Exercise: Team Charter
LAB EXERCISE: TEAM CHARTER
OBJECTIVES
For this lab exercise you will:
- Establish the group norms for the team.
- Begin the first stage of team development, forming.
Part I.
INSTRUCTIONS
Using a Team Charter, teams co-write ground rules for team functioning – in terms of values, communication, team functioning, team roles, team leadership, and conflict negotiation. Unless students have been involved in formal project management, they may not have had experience with writing a team charter and are uncertain about what such a document should contain.
- REFLECT on your prior group/team experiences.
- CONSIDER, what the group norms for the team should be?
- ANSWER the following questions:
- What contact information should all team members share? [Name, phone number*, email, and other]
- What is important to know about team meetings? [What format/software is going to be used – In-person (if remote learning ends), video, audio (phone) and synchronous? What is the schedule for meetings – Regularly, irregularly scheduled (ad hoc)? What are the attendance requirements? Expectations, being late, no show? Other considerations?
- What are expectations about communication? [What format and software is going to be used – Google doc, Google Hangout, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, GVSU email, Text, Phone call, FaceTime, Group Chat, etc.? How often should everyone check messages? Will there be a way to send an urgent message needing a response? What are the hours that messages can be sent? How fast do team members need to reply to routine messages? Other considerations?]
- How are you going to give each other feedback on progress for an assignment? [What does respectful feedback look like for the team? What does timely feedback look like?]
- What are you going to do about potential areas of accountability and conflict? [What will the team do about missed deadlines? How will the team address different points of view on content? How will the team address different priorities of team members? How will the team address different quality standards of team members for group assignments?]
- Who is the Team Leader? This role will be assigned within the team at the first class meeting [What should this role be? Is this person going to be the person that starts communications/a conversation? Is this person the one to CHECKIN with the team to see if anyone needs help?] – SEE TABLE IN PART II.
- Are there any other team issues/goals?
Part II.
INSTRUCTIONS
Each week whether teams are meeting inthe format is IN-PERSON (Clinical Seminar) or ONLINE LEARNING, one (or more) of the students from your group/team/table will be the team LEADER FOR THE WEEK. This role includes assigning roles for IN-PERSON (Clinical Seminar Group work) or ONLINE LEARNING as well as sharing and facilitating the team using Team Charter guidelines. As Leader, CHECKIN (by text or email) with your team to ensure that everyone is staying connected and to evaluate/guide everyone in completing individual and Group work assignments for the week. Additionally, if there is an urgent course issue instructor(s) will be contacting the Leaders to disseminate any new information.
RUBRIC – Team Charter
| POINTS | CRITERIA |
| 0-6 | Team member information – is complete and all members are listed (include team member name, email, telephone/text number) |
| 0-6 | Team meeting – expectations are clear and concise (man include items such as scheduling meetings, regular/ad hoc, attendance, and being on time – when is it okay to “no show”?). |
| 0-6 | Team communications – expectations are clear and concise (may include – How often is everyone going to check messages; what is the reply time to team communications; is there a way to send urgent messages; and what software/formats [email, Google docs, Google Hangout, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, FaceTime, texting, phone calls, Groups chat, email, etc.]). |
| 0-6 | Feedback with Mutual Support – expectations are clear and concise – (may include how to give/receive feedback; what is timely feedback). |
| 0-6 | Accountability and Team conflict – expectations are clear and concise (may include management of missed deadlines, different points of view, different priorities, and different quality standards on assignments). |
REFERENCE(S)
Hillier, J. and Dunn-Jensen, L. M. (2013). Group meet…teams improve: Building teams that learn. Journal of Management Education, 37(5), 704-733).
The Leadership Challenge. (2022). The five practices of Exemplary Leadership Model. Retrieved November 21, 2022, from https://www.leadershipchallenge.com/
Life Cycle Engineering (LCE). (n.d.). Team charters: What are they and what’s their purpose? Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://www.lce.com/
Tuckman, B. W (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin. 63 (6), 384–399. doi:10.1037/h0022100. PMID 14314073
